IonVR Works with Intel® to Create First Untethered Six-Degrees-of-Freedom VR Experience on Mobile Platform

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LAS VEGAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–CES 2016 – Today Ion Virtual Technology Corporation (IonVR) and
Intel Corporation revealed joint work that is pushing the technological
boundaries to deliver the first untethered six degrees of freedom,
hand-virtualization enabled VR experience on a mobile device – a
groundbreaking immersive VR experience where people literally walk
through three-dimensional space, untethered from a computer or console,
to experience VR content on the Intel® RealSense™ Smartphone
Developer Kit.

The untethered six-degrees-of-freedom (6DOF) mobile VR experience is
made possible by bringing together the power of the Intel®
RealSense™ Smartphone Developer Kit, featuring the new Intel®
RealSense™ ZR300 camera, Google Project Tango, and the IonVR VR headset
with MotionSync Technology. IonVR’s MotionSync nearly eliminates
VR-related nausea. IonVR’s headset was built as a modular design – one
of the key pieces in being named a CES Innovation Award Honoree – and
can support a variety of mobile operating systems – Android to iOS (Intel®
RealSense™ Smartphone Developer Kit runs on Android). The IonVR headset
demoed at the Intel booth has a custom support case that can be
exchanged for the smartphone latch that will come with the initial
headsets released early this year.

“IonVR and Intel have built a truly immersive mobile virtual reality
experience. The untethered 6DOF, virtualization of real-world objects as
3D point clouds, and virtual hands interaction, are made possible
through the Intel RealSense Smartphone Developer Kit. The device
leverages an integrated Intel RealSense ZR300 camera for depth sensing,
as well as position and feature tracking, among other capabilities. Add
the MotionSync technology built into IonVR’s headset, and the
culmination is a rich and captivating virtual reality experience,” said
Paul Zhao, Product Marketing Manager of Intel Perceptual Computing.

“The 6DOF mobile VR experience wasn’t expected for another couple of
years. The fact people can experience it today points to the exceptional
people and technologies that have come together in IonVR’s partnership
with Intel,” said Brooke Linville, CEO of IonVR. “Together Intel and
IonVR are breaking down technology barriers and innovating at a
phenomenal pace.”

How Does It Work?

Until today, when most people used a VR headset with their smartphone,
they are limited to the head tracking capabilities of most devices, a
three-degree experience that allows them to look around, up, down,
backwards, forwards. Some systems integrate use of controllers for
navigation in the VR scene, like what they would with first-person
gaming experience.

Today’s announcement highlights the importance of six degrees of freedom
within the virtual environment. Augmenting the experience are new
hand-virtualization and hand-interaction capabilities made possible
through the integrated Intel® RealSense™ ZR300 camera within
the Intel® RealSense™ Smartphone Developer Kit. This
breakthrough was unlocked by the combination of the technologies
involved:

The Intel® RealSense™ Smartphone Developer Kit features the
new Intel® RealSense™ ZR300 camera, which leverages
stereoscopic depth-sensing technology, inertial measurement unit, and
a wide-angle feature-tracking lens to capture real-world objects and
the environment in 3D.

Virtualization: real-world objects, including users’ hands, are ported
into the virtual scene as 3D point clouds; the virtual hands can even
interact with virtual objects

The innovative IonVR VR headset with its MotionSync technology that
nearly eliminates motion blur within the VR experience, allowing for
the highest quality, immersive VR experience.

Now that people can experience untethered 6DOF by literally walking
through an area, how do they keep from running into walls and things?
IonVR worked with Intel to allow users wearing the headset to virtualize
real-world objects. The Intel® RealSense™ ZR300 camera inside
the Intel® RealSense™ Smartphone Developer Kit uses
depth-sensing capability to detect and port real-world objects as 3D
point clouds into the virtual scene. Not only does this mean that users
can avoid obstacles that distract from the VR experience, but it also
opens up entirely new ways to augment the VR experience by integrating
external objects as part of the overall interaction.

“The IonVR work with Intel has been remarkable. The innovation put
forward by these two teams allowed this platform for mobile 6DOF and
hand controls to become a reality,” said Linville. “It is a testament to
the IonVR team’s hard work and expertise that have created a mobile VR
experience that is second to none.”

CES IonVR Intel

At CES, attendees can try the IonVR VR Headset with Intel RealSense
Smartphone Developer Kit by visiting the Intel booth #7252 in Central
Hall South, C2 Lobby entrance, at the Las Vegas Convention Center to
have their first untethered 6DOF mobile VR experience with hand
virtualization and interaction.

Also, visit the IonVR booth 81533 in the Eureka Park pavilion at The
Sands to experience IonVR VR headset with a variety of smartphones and
VR content including exclusive content from IonVR partner, The Virtual
Reality Company.

About IonVR

IonVR’s virtual reality headset delivers the highest quality VR
experience on a mobile device. IonVR’s innovative headset technology
reduces motion blur to virtually eliminate VR sickness allowing people
to have a more accessible and enjoyable VR experience. The IonVR
solution is one of the first great mobile VR headsets thanks to the
convergence of IonVR’s innovative technology, the power of today’s
smartphones, and the capabilities of the human brain. IonVR is
delivering on the promise of VR and making it possible for everyone to
experience it today.